 Ship
Owners and Crews
Most of the
big ships using the canal and docks were not locally based, and
during the nineteenth century it was common to see groups of visiting
sailors on the streets of Gloucester, including many foreigners.
A few big ships were owned by Gloucester merchants, but these usually
picked up most of their crew at other ports. Some smaller coasting
vessels were owned locally, and many of these were crewed by men
from the area around Frampton, Saul and Arlingham. The occupation
of these crewmen was usually recorded as mariner or seaman. For
information about a leading local owner, see James
Herbert.
Barge Owners and Crews
In
the early days, the canal was much used by shallow-draught trows
and barges trading between up-river towns and the ports of the Bristol
Channel, and most of the owners and crews were based in the Midlands.
Competition from the railways forced some owners out of business
and others to amalgamate until most of the remaining traffic was
handled by the Severn & Canal Carrying Company, which established
its base at Gloucester. Following the opening of the new dock at
Sharpness in the 1870s, there was an additional need for lighters
to bring cargoes to Gloucester, and these were provided by Mousell
Chadborn & Co and G T Beard, both firms having depots at Gloucester
and Sharpness. In the 20th century, the canal was also busy with
tanker barges bringing petroleum products from Avonmouth, and many
of these were owned by John Harker Ltd from Yorkshire and were initially
crewed by Yorkshiremen. The occupation of these crewmen was usually
recorded as waterman, bargeman or lighterman. (More details)
Canal Boat Owners and Crews
Throughout
the commercial life of the canal, locally owned narrow canal boats
crewed by Gloucester men were used to carry goods between Gloucester
and places on the narrow canals in the Midlands. Some were owned
by corn and timber merchants and carried imports direct to customers.
Many were owned by the Severn & Canal Carrying Company and carried
a range of cargoes for a variety of customers. Some were owned by
local coal merchants or individuals and mainly collected coal from
the collieries in the Midlands. The boats were known in Gloucester
as longboats and the occupation of these crewmen was usually recorded
as boatmen or watermen. For a description of a typical trip
to Birmingham and back, see Going 'Up Country'. |